Home Is Where the Heart Is
by shineboston
Summary: Each district has its unique industry, but also its own unique people. This is a look at how victors from each district bring the characteristics of home into the arena, and now their district's mentality impacted their strategy, victory, and life after. Culture plays an important part in each tribute, and it is important to recognize the 'winning' attributes of each district.


_Disclaimer: The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins!_

**District One - Beauty Carson, 18 (F) - Winner of the 10th Hunger Games**

I won my games in the only way that is expected of a District One victor. With style, grace, and most importantly, beauty. The little known fact about the Training Center here is that they prepare you not only for physical prowess, but they teach you to take advantage of what the Capitol holds so dearly - physical, vain beauty. District One time and time again produces not only the best tributes, but the best looking ones. It is not a coincidence that all of our tributes possess the classical good looks that the audience has grown to love. At a young age, the Training Center selects the best looking children they can find. Because let's be honest, how can you filter by physical ability at the tender age of eight years old?

And so they taught me. To play the pretty face, and to be equally deadly. I have lived up to my namesake and the arena turned me into a savage. Spears were my weapon. Something about them is so elegant to me. The arch of the body as one leans back in preparation to throw one. It's smooth sail through the air until it meets its target. And I always met my target. A throat, a forehead, a heart. I aimed to kill. We are not like the barbarians District Two produces. We are taught not to torture, not to play with our food before we eat it. Why? Because it's messy and quite frankly, that just looks bad. A tribute covered in victim's blood is a sight to see indeed. In District One we are taught to end lives swiftly and cleanly. And you know what? We look great doing it. The previous victors before me, as well as myself, emerged from our arenas virtually spotless. Spilling blood without staining yourself, we were taught, was the best way to win. I had to look flawless throughout my games - not an easy task in a slippery swamp, where mud and murky waters were essentially the only surfaces.

Flawless I was. I killed seven others on my way to victory. Two in the Bloodbath, two spears to the heart. I killed the deceiving pair of District Two tributes when they thought they could turn on me once my district partner walked into Three's death trap. I pushed the girl into the swamp and in her last act of desperation, she grabbed her partner and in they went. And I watched as monstrous swamp muttations tore their flesh apart. Once they were finished, I went on to kill a cowering pair from District Twelve. Pathetic, really. Their bodies were so emaciated that one spear skewered both through the bellies. And I watched as they died slowly. Finally, the clever little thing from Three who had killed five with his traps. I saw the one that killed my district partner. Concealed carefully underneath in deep mud was a bear trap, and it clamped itself viciously onto his leg as he stepped into it. The teeth of the trap contained a fast-acting poison and he was gone within minutes. I made the careful observation not to wade in anything I couldn't see through unless necessary. The finale was too easy. He was nothing without his traps, a skinny cowering boy who said nothing as I stood over him with a spear. Oh how I wanted to make his death slow, to respect my partner. But even more, I wanted to win. And with one last thrust, his cannon boomed and I was crowned victor of the 10th games.

When I left the arena, I discovered the fate which awaited a beautiful Victor. My mentor held me and cried as the news was delivered to me, and I called her weak. Of course this was part of the bargain. If my beauty had earned me food, weapons, and ultimately, my life, I was willing to repay anyone who helped along the way. But not just repay, I knew I could get more out of it. I did what I had to do and I convinced the idiot Capitol bastards to give me precious works of art, jewelry, and money. I've been doing this happily for ten years now, and since have brought home four more victors. Not too shabby, huh? My life is perfect. District One is perfect.


End file.
